Governor Manchin of West Virginia aired a commercial for his campaign to run for the Senate. It's called "Dead Aim": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIJORBRpOPM
In the ad, he shoots a hardcopy of a proposed cap and trade bill with a rifle. Ok, so cap and trade is bad for West Virginia, but what does such an action reflect on us as a nation? Does literally shooting a bill connote any sign of progress? No, it gives the impression of killing a bill, killing change. If the U.S. is ever going to have a climate change policy, it won't happen any time soon if states just kill the bill. West Virginia, and states alike, ought to promote a bill that could work for their states, not just shoot down any bill.
Don't get me wrong. I don't know the entire story. West VA is a coal state, much like Indiana, Ohio, Wyoming, and Colorado. They may or may not support the idea that climate change is real. They may or may not see climate change policy as necessary. It may just be another tax in a recession environment. Nevertheless, what kind of campaign ad is this? I'm disgraced that these kinds of ads actually appeal to voters, but I'm biased as a NJ resident. I suppose the animal rights activists get the same feeling by seeing politicians appeal to other voters who are hunters.
Let me clarify that I don't intend to suggest that West VA change it's beliefs. If they are against climate change policy, so be it. The U.S. has 50 states, all entitied to their own beliefs. I don't believe shooting a climate change bill and airing this on public television is the right direction. If we replace climate change policy with any other policy against West Virigina, do they all deserve to be shot and killed? I would have preferred him to say, "we will fight to make this bill right for our state," or show an image of the Senate debating the issue. Senator Manchin (D) shooting a rifle at a cap and trade bill reminds me of the lack of progress in the U.S. on climate change policy.
